Evariste geeraerd



E. GEERAERD. ELECTROLYTC'ICELL FOR PRODUCTION 0F OXYGEN AND HYDROGEN.

APPucMlo'ulLEn MAYH. 1911. l

Patented July 1, 1919.

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- 'UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

EVARISTE GEERAERD, 0F PRESTWICH, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE J'. STANFIED, OF MANCHESTER, ENG-LAN D.

ELEcTnoLYTiccELn ronrnoDUcTIoN or OXYGEN AND HYDROGEN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1, 1919.

Application led May 17, 1917. Serial No. 169,363.

To all whom it 'mag/ concern of vanes, arranged in superimposed spaced relation and at such inclination to the electrode as to deect the gas-liberated at. such electrode and direct the flow of such gas upward and toward the electrode at which it was liberated.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 isa sectional view, partly broken away, showing two cells of the improved type connected together.

Fig. 2 is an elevation otone half of one l cell, seen from the inner side to show the relative arrangement ot the vane.

Fig. 3 is a broken perspective of one half of one rcell, illustrating particularly the spacing of the -vanes and the gas channels formed in the electrode.

In' accordance with the present.- invention.

each cell is made up ot' two substantially identical halt-sections, as 1 and 2. Each half sect-ion is, ot' course, of the appropriate metal for the gas liberation desired, and presents a plate portion 3. forming the electrode proper, with intu-rned edge portions 1. The inner edges ot' the edge portions Jr have outstanding flanges 5. vlien the halves of a cell are assembled to complete a cell, the `flanges 5 are arranged in juxtaposition. and connected together b v'bolts an insulating strip T being arranged hetween the flanges 5.. as shown. The ,strip T, throughout the upper portion ot' the cell. eX tends below the edge portion l. forming what may be termed a gas screen S.

rl`he upper portion oteach haltl ot' a cell is formed at spaced points with transverse conduits orpipe like sections t) and 10. projecting inwardly from the edge portion 5.

The pipe like sections t) and 1() ot the separate halves of a cell register respectively when the halves are assembled to thus form A independent gas conduits extending transverse the cell. lith each side ot' a cell forming an electrode, as described, the gas conduit to receive the gas liberated at that electrode is formed adjacent the upper end of the electrode with an opening or slot to admit the gas. Thus the conduit 9 will be slotted at 11 to receive the gas from one electrode, while they conduit 10 will be slotted at 12 to receive gas from the other electrode.

A series of vanes 13 are arranged transverse each half of each cell, being disposed 1n spaced parallel relation, and inclined downwardly and trom the partlcular electrode. The vanes are of non-conducting ma` terial, as glass, or the like, and are held in proper relative positions by spacing blocks 11, also of non-conducting material, as wood, or the like. The blocks, and also the ends of the. vanes 13 rest inv rear of edge strips 15, projecting inwardly from the vertical edge portions l of each halt' cell, as clearly shown in Fin. 3.

1 The surfaces of each electrode immediately in rear of the' vanes 13 are formed with a series ot' vertically arranged channels 16, preferably quite fine or small in cross section.A

These channels lead to the upper end of the cell, and form a passage for the gas lib-4 erated at the particular electrode.

The vanes are less in width than halt' the interior ot' the cell, leaving a clear vertical passage between proximate ends of the vanes ot' a colnplete cell.. as will -be clea1:"tron Fig. 1.

The gas liberated at each electrode will, through the natural movement of the electrolyte from one electrode toward the other. tend to move toward the vertical center ot' the cell. If not counteracted this action would result in a mingling ot' the gases. The downwardly inclined vanes. however. intercept this movement, and direct the gas upwardly and toward the electrode at which it 4was liberated. 'so that finally the gas travelsl up the channels 1G, into its particular conduit. from which it may be directed to a proper storage reservoir.

T he upward travel ot' the gases. each on the electrode at which it was liberated. also tends tozireate a circulation ot' the electrol vte fromI the vertical center of the cell, and

with conductors 17 and 18, and the cell is preferably provided with a-pipe, as 19,

` through which the electrolyte may be sup-` plied to the cell.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed'is:-

' 1. An electrolytic cell having side walls forming electrodes, means for insulating said Walls from each other, a series of vanes supported in spaced parallel relation transverse each side wall and inclining downwardly and inwardly therefrom, the side walls being formed with vertical lchannels in rear of and communicating with the spaces between the Yanes, and independent gas conduits at the upper end of the cellvi'n conid munication, respectively, with the ,vertical channels lof the side walls, whereby the gas liberated at each electrode is directed into its respective gas conduit.

2. An electrolytic cell having side walls forming electrodes, meansV for insulating sald Walls .from each other, a series of vanes arranged transverse each side wall, spacing 'blocks arranged between the end port-ions of the varies to maintain the "anes in spaced parallel relation and lnclined downwardly and inwardly with respect to the side wall,A

means to hold the blocks and the ends of the vanes in position, the side walls being formed 'with vertical channels in rear of and communicating with the spaces between the vnes and independent gas conduits at the upper end of the cell in communication,

vrespectijvely, wit-h the vertical channels of the side Walls,` whereby the gas liberated at each electrode is directed into its respective gas conduit. 

